SMHS POWERLIFTING
This is part three of a three-article series covering three powerlifters who qualified for the state powerlifting meet. The rest of the series will be published in the Sunday paper.
One year after missing out on state, junior Izayah Young bounced back and qualified for the state power lifting meet after placing second at regionals in the 220 lb weight class.
It was a meaningful journey for Young who encountered many challenges to qualify for the state meet.
“My first year of power lifting, I was coming off from a torn Achilles injury,” Young said. “The first year I made it to regionals, then I ended up not making it to state. So this year was pretty exciting for me. I made it to regionals, then I was able to get the chance to go to state this year. It meant a lot to have fun and was very exciting to experience. Having a big crowd and seeing everyone lift a ton of weights.”
Going into this season, Young focused on balancing both his work in power lifting and in football.
“Just trying to do one thing at the time,” Young said. “Doing football, working on football and then running and training. So I had to slow down football a little bit to focus on power lifting because I knew what I was looking for and what I was trying to attack. [I’m] just trying to get to state.”
With a new training routine, Young was able to focus on power lifting and improve his craft.
“That process was pretty good,” Young said. “Working out in football, I didn’t have to do so many weights. It gives me more time for powerlifting practice, and I have the energy I need to lift the weight that I need to lift. Just moving forward on to the next lift, so I won’t be as tired.”
The new routine allowed Young to make a return trip back to regionals and looked to punch his ticket to state.
Knowing he had one of the heaviest lifts going into regionals, Young used his confidence to push him through regionals.
“My mindset was pretty confident just coming in,” Young said. “I knew right then [and] there [that] my first and second attempts were going to get me to state. So I locked into this thing of just going there, having fun and just being excited. So just in the motivation, go in and just be happy, because I knew my first and second attempt was going to get me to state.”
Squatting 530 pounds, Young moved into the bench and deadlift, while trying not to get inside of his head too much.
“My mindset it’s to just get the weight off my chest, honestly,” Young said. “I don’t think about it too much because I feel like the more I think about it, I get in my head; and the weight is not gonna move how I want it to. Moving towards deadlift, my mindset is just like just move the bar, get it off the ground, as fast as possible so I won’t get stuck or anything like that.”
Benching 360 lbs, Young entered the deadlift competition with a chance to seal his ticket to state.
After successfully pulling off his first deadlift attempt, Young realized he was going to state.
“I knew I was going to state in the first attempt of the deadlift,” Young said. “I knew because I was at the bottom where the heaviest lifters are. That first attempt was just gonna get me there and then after that it was just the numbers that went up.”
Young finished the deadlift lifting 635 pounds, allowing the junior to take second place at regionals and advance him to state.
Qualifying for state, Young finished in 18th place, squatting 560 lbs, benching 365 pounds and deadlifting 635 pounds for a total of 1,560 lbs.
With Young focusing on his future in college football in his senior year and graduating early, being able to qualify for state this season was meaningful.
“This was my last year doing [powerlifting] because like I’m moving forward with football, graduating early and trying to get into [college] football early,” Young said. “So I knew the beginning of the powerlifting season, this was my last year. I couldn’t go to state last year, so this year was mental and meaningful to me. Going to state, and then putting my all into it, trusting all my coaches and my teammates, that encouraged me.”
cmcwilliams @sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc
